Machine for building fences



2 Sheets-Sheet 1,..

(No Model.)

WfB. SOHAFPER.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING FENCES.

No. 371,219. Patented Oct. 11, 1887 N. PEIERS. Pholn-Lilhognpher,Wahinglnn. u. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. E. SOHAFPER.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING FENCES.

M m H W M T O I r d \T Hmm a W m 4, v1 1 a m NJJ M \E twiLW. I M hf i lqhlmeoaw @51 1 M arrow UNITED STATES PATENT QFEICE.

WILLIAM E. SOHAFFER, OF GARLISLE, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,219, dated October11, 1887.

Application filed July 15, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM E. SGHAFFER, a citizenof the United States,residing at Oarlisle, in the county of Sullivan and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for BuildingFences, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in machines for building fences;and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices,which will be fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of afence-machine embodying my improvements, showing the same in the act ofbuilding a wire and-picket fence. Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the same.Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the linexac of Fig. 1. Fig.4 is a rear end elevation of the wire twisting machine. Fig. 5 isahorizontal sectional view of the same, taken on the line 11 y ofFig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detailed view. Fig. 7 is a detached perspective Viewof one of the twisting-shafts.

A represents the frame of a wire-twisting machine, which comprises apair of vertical boards, B, having their upper and lower ends connectedby means of plates 0. The lower plate has one end extended outward anddownward to form asupporting-trail, D. An axle, E, is secured at thelower end of the frame,

and on the ends of the said axle are journaled a pair ofsupporting-wheels, F.

G represents two pairs of horizontal arms, which project from the rearside of the frame A, near the upper and lower ends thereof. The innerends of the said arms are connected to the said frame by means ofmetallic boxes H, as shown. The said pairs of arms G are provided ontheir opposing sides with grooves I. K represents a pair ofendwise-moving bars, which are guided in the grooves I. The said barsare provided with longitudinal open central slots, L, which extendnearly throughout the lengths of the bars. On the upper side of one ofthe arms of each of the said bars are made a pair of shallow recesses,M, and in the said recesses are arranged detents N,whieh have theirfront ends pivoted on the bars and are provided at their rear free endswith trans- Scrial No. 244,398. (No model.)

verse slots 0, through which the upwardlyprojecting stops P, which risefrom the lower sides of the recesses M,extend. A spring, R, is providedfor each of the said detents, to bear against the outer side thereof,and thereby move the free ends of the detents laterally and cause thesame to project into the slots L. On one side of each bar K are a seriesof rackteeth, S.

T represents bracket-arms, which extend transversely over the arms G andproject beyond one side of the same, and in the said bracket-arms isjournaled a vertical shaft, U, which is provided near its center with anoperating-arm, V, rigidly attached thereto. Secured to the said shaftnear its upper and lower ends are pin-ions W, which engage therack-teeth of the arms K.

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that bymeans of the arm V the shaft U may be rotated so as to cause the pinionsto revolve in either directiomand thereby move the arms K longitudinallytoward or from the frame A.

X represents a pair of cylindrical sleeves, which are journaled inopenings in the frame A, at suitable distances from the upper and lowerends thereof, the said sleeves being arranged long'itudinally in thesaid frame, and having their ends projecting slightly beyond the frontand rear sides of the frame.

Y represents twisting-shafts, which extend through the said sleeves, andare secured thereto and adapted to rotate therewith by means of splinesT,with which the said shafts are provided. In opposite sides of thetwistingshafts are made longitudinal grooves Z, and at the rear ends ofthe said twisting-shafts are projecting arms A, the spaces between thesaid arms being somewhat in excess of the width of the thickness of thepickets employed in constructing the fence..

To each of the sleeves X, and arranged between the front and rear sidesof the frame A, is secured a spur-wheel, B. A shaft, 0, is j ournaled inthe frame A midway between the sleeves, and to the said shaft is keyed aspurwheel, D, which engages the opposing sides of the wheels X.

E represents a pair of brackets, which project from one side of theframe A, and in the said brackets is journaled a shaft, F, having aspur-wheel, G, rigidly attached thereto,which engages the wheel D Oneend of the said shaft F is squared, and thereby adapted for anattachment of a detachable operating-crank, H. The front end of eachtwisting-shaft Y is provided with a cross-head, Y, and in the ends ofthe said cross-heads are transverse openings Y adapted for an insertionof the wires.

Y represents compression screws, which engage openings in the ends ofthe cross-heads, and are adapted to hear at their inner ends against thewires and thereby regulate the tension thereof.

1 represents atension-bar, which is secured upon a horizontal base, K,and is braced by means of inclined bars L. Through the said tension-bar,at suitable distances from its upper and lower ends, are made horizontalopenings, through which are passed the rear ends of rods M. The frontends of these rods are provided with heads, as shown, and on the saidrods are arranged coiled extensile springs N, which bear between thefront side of the bar I and the rear sides of the heads. On the rearends of the bars M are swiveled yokes O. In each of the said yokes isjournaled a pair of shafts, P, the said shafts having ratchetwheels Rand pivoted dogs or detents S, to engage the said ratchet-wheels andprevent the shafts from rotating in a reverse direction. The ends of theshafts project beyond opposite sides of the yoke and are squared, andare thereby adapted for the attachment of a removable crank, F.

U represents a block, which is adapted to be staked or anchored to theground at one end of the proposed line of fence, and in the said blockare journaled a pair of transverse shafts, V, each of which has aratchet-wheel, V. Detents X are pivoted in the block and are adapted toengage the ratchet-wheels. The ends of the shafts project beyondopposite sides of the block and are squared, and are thereby adapted forthe attachment of a detachable crank, Y, by means of which either of thesaid shafts may be rotated. Chains Z are attached to the shafts V, passthrough openings in the end of the block, ,and are attached to the bar 1near the upper and lower ends thereof.

The operation of my invention is as follows Two pairs of wires, a, areattached to a post, I), at one end of the proposed line of fence, andthe block U is anchored to the ground at a suitable distance beyond theother end of the proposed line of fence. The wires are fitted in thegrooves in the twisting shafts Y, passed between the same, and thesleeves X are then passed through the openings in the ends of thecross-heads on the twisting-shafts, through openings in the rear sidesof the swiveled yokes, and have their front ends connected to and woundupon the shaft 1?. The wires are tightened by turning the said shafts,as will be readily understood. The twisting-machine is moved along thefence line until the outer ends of the arms K are nearly or quite incontact with the starting-post b. A picket, c, of suitable construction,is then passed downward in the rear portion of the slots L of the armsK, and between the pairs of wires, so that the said wires are arrangedupon opposite sides of the picket. It should be observed that when themachine is in its initial position the shaft U is turned so as to movethe arms K as far forward toward the frame A as possible. The front edgeof the picket bears against the rear free ends of the rearward detentsM. The crank H is then attached to the shaft F and the same is turned,thereby causing rotary mol ion to be imparted to the twisting-shafts byreason of the gearwheels connecting the said shafts to the shaft F. Asthe said shafts rotate, they twist the wires together in front of thepicket, thus screwing the latter firmly in place. A second picket c isthen passed downward through the slots L in the arms K and between thetwistingarms A on the rear ends of the twisting-shafts Y. This causesthe rear ends of the forward detents to bear against the front edge ofthe said second picket. The operator then grasps the arm V and turns thesame forward, thereby causing the twisting-machine to be moved forwardin line with the fence until the rear ends of the twisting-arms clearthe second picket, and the latter is held by the forward detents of thewires. The shaft F is then rotated to cause the wires to be twistedtogether in front of the second picket, and thereby secure the same inplace. The operator then moves the outward end of the arm V, causing thearms K to be moved forward toward frame A, consequently causing thedetents on the said arms to slip forward from the pickets until the reardetents bear against the front edge of the second picket, when a thirdpicket is inserted in slots of arms K, and between the twisting-arms A,and the operation before described is then repeated, and so on until asufficient number of the pickets have been secured between the wires toform one panel of the fence. Fence-posts are secured to the ground atsuitable regular distances apart, as each panel of the fence iscompleted, and the twisted wires are secured to the said fence-posts bymeans of staples or keepers of any preferred construction.

I prefer to employ fence-posts in connection with my improvedfence-machine, which posts comprise each a base-section, d, secured inthe ground and having a recess or opening in its upper side, and anupper section, 6, the lower end of which is adapted to be inserted andsecured in the said opening. The upper sections of the posts arepreferably made of iron, and the lower sections thereof may be made ofwood, iron, earthenware, or any other preferred material.

As the wires are twisted between the pickets, the said wires becometightened, as will be readily understood, and thereby cause the rods Mto move rearwardly against the tension of their springs N, and thusprevent the strain upon the wires becoming so great as to break them. Bydisengaging the dogs from the ratchet-wheels in the yoke and permittingthe shafts of said yokes, on which the wires are coiled, to rotate in aretrograde direction, the wires may be paid out from time to time, asmay be necessary.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 4 1. In a wire-twistingmachine, the combination of the frame A, the guide-arms G, extendinghorizontally therefrom, the slotted arms K, secured in the saidguidearms and longitudinally movable toward and from the frame, saidslotted arms having the detents N, means for moving the said arms, andthe twisters journaled to the frame A, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a wire-twisting machine for building fences, ofthe frame A, hav-, ing the horizontal guidearms extending therefrom, thelongitudinally-movable arms or rods K, guided in said guide-arms andprovided with the slots L and detents N, the said arms or bars K beingfurther provided with the rack-teeth, and the shaft U, having thepinions engaging the rack-teeth and provided with the operating-lever V,substantially as described.

3. In a wire-twisting machine for building fences, the combination ofthe frame A, theguide-arms G, projecting therefrom, thelongitudinally-movable bars or arms K, secured between the guide-armsand having slots, and the spring actuatingdetents N, means for movingthe said arms, and the twisting-shafts journaled in the frame A andhaving the twisting-arms A at their rear ends, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, in a wire-twisting machine for building fences, ofthe frame A, the

sleeves journaled therein. and the twistingshafts secured to the saidsleeves, the shafts being further provided at their rear ends with thetwistingarms A, substantially as described. I

5. The combination, in a wire-twisting machine for building fences, ofthe frame A, the guide-arms G, the longitudinally-movable bars or armsK, secured in the said guide-arms and having the slots L and the detentsN, means for moving the arms K, the sleeves X, journaled in the frame Aand adapted to rotate, and twisting-shafts Y, extending through the saidsleeves and feathered or splined therein, said shafts having the groovesZ on opposite sides and provided at their rear ends with the arms A,substantially as described.

6. In a tension device for fence-building machines, the combination ofthe bar 1, the longitudinally movable rods M, extending through the sameand provided with the springs N to move the bars in one direction, andthe yokes swiveled to the rear ends of the bars M, and having shafts towhich the wires are attached, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in tension devices for fence-building machines, ofthe vertical bar I, the longitudinallymovable bars M, extended throughthe same and provided with. the springs N, the yokes swiveled to therear ends of the said bars, and the shafts journaled in the said yokesand provided with the ratchetwheels, and the detents or dogs to engagethe said ratchetwheels, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM Witnesses:

WILLIAM RITTERSKAMP, J. B. MoRFoRD.

E. SOHAFFER.

